As Apple is rumored to discontinue its aging hard-drive-based iPod classic, the company has removed a section from the iTunes Store devoted to click-wheel games.

Users used to be able to access a link to "iPod Click Wheel Games" by clicking the drop-down menu on the App Store link in iTunes. But now, that option has disappeared from the menu.

The removal comes as Apple is rumored to be planning to discontinue the iPod classic this year after the device's form factor had a 10-year run. The classic is Apple's legacy iPod, sporting the same click wheel and general design as the first iPod released in 2001.

Games on the iPod date back to Apple's very first model, with the game "Brick," originally invented by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, included as a hidden easter egg. As the iPod grew in functionality and gained a color display, more titles were added, and the latest iPod classic comes with "Vortex," "iQuiz" and "Klondike."

Apple began selling games for the iPod classic in 2006 in a sort of precursor to the iPhone and iPod touch App Store that would eventually launch two years later. Apple released its own click-wheel games like "Texas Hold'Em" and "Reversi," while major publishers including Electronic Arts, Square Enix and Disney also released titles.

Titles were priced at $7.49, and they rely on the touch-sensitive wheel that receives input on the iPod classic, as well as older versions of the iPod nano and iPod mini. In all, there were around 50 downloadable games available for purchase through iTunes, limited by the fact that Apple did not make a third-party iPod classic software development kit publicly available.

A link to "Click Wheel Games" was previously available in iTunes.

It's possible the iPod classic could get the ax at next week's iPhone centric media event, scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday. As the iPod lineup has become a less important part of Apple's business, the portable media players have taken a backseat to devices like the iPhone and iPad.

In July, AppleInsider first reported that Apple's flagship iPod, the iPod touch, will receive few changes in this year's refresh. The new iPod touch is expected to be offered in white, but will feature largely the same internal hardware as the model released in 2010.

His point, though, is that it really doesn't hurt to keep them up there for the few people who want them. Why go out of their way to remove them?

True, but we have seen that Apple goes all out when it wants to stop something - the Final Cut Pro fiasco being one example. So I am not surprised that the games are gone. If they were all priced above $5, then I wouldn't have bought them anyway.

I am kind of sad to see the iPod Classic go. I have the third generation iPod, as well as the iPod Photo, but both of them are maxed out at 40GB. I think I will pick up the latest (and last) iPod Classic for the extra capacity (if we do not get a 128GB Touch this year). My MP3s are only 128kbps, so a higher capacity iPod would mean that I can use a higher bit rate, or Apple Lossless for added quality.

With the evolution of the iPod line to iPod Touch, the Classic seems like a quaint device from the past and I think that is half the appeal for me. There is something truly magical about the click wheel.

It's possible the iPod classic could get the ax at next week's iPhone centric media event, scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday. As the iPod lineup has become a less important part of Apple's business, the portable media players have taken a backseat to devices like the iPhone and iPad.

Good. Nobody needs that much storage in a pocketable device.

Apple needs to focus on what makes them the most profits, and iCloud is the way forward.

I feel like Apple should release some new iPod to replace the classic called something Apple-ish like iPod X to mark the 10th anniversary... They seem to love their X's... It'll be interesting to see what they come up with on Tuesday ala Touch/Nano/Shuffle/Classic and what does get discontinued if any.

I think they should keep it as a build to order device. They'll make it if you want it. No returns!

BTO only works if you have all the parts on hand and simply swap a few things custom. BTO RAM works because they have RAM for all machines, the custom part is a little extra work only. Similarly if I have 4 different graphics cards available from different machines, I can offer a BTO where I add one of those to a machine that doesn't normally offer it.

BTO does not normally mean I carry a special set of materials just for those orders. A BTO iPod implies the outer shell and control board of that iPod, which are not used in any other product, being made just for that BTO.

...would only be worth doing if they charged about $900 since each one would basically be a custom run.

OSX, because making UNIX user friendly is easier than debugging windows.

Apple needs to focus on what makes them the most profits, and iCloud is the way forward.

It's really amazing how the louder trolls think they know what's best for everyone.

SOME people obviously think they need that much storage.

Now, it's entirely possible that the number isn't large enough to justify keeping the product, but that's not the same as your claim that nobody needs it.

And the cloud is not going to solve the problem for an iPod. Last time I checked, iPods are not connected to the cloud all the time. Even the iPod touch is only connected when you're within range of a WiFi network that you have access to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by matrix07

Is this the sign we will finally get 128 GB. iPod Touch? One can only hope...

How much money do you have? It would probably be very expensive.

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13

Apple needs to focus on what makes them the most profits, and iCloud is the way forward.

Speak for yourself. We're not all teenagers with a handfull of CDs. My record collection goes back over 30 years. It's handy to have it all on one device without having to pick and choose which songs to put on it all the time.

Speak for yourself. We're not all teenagers with a handfull of CDs. My record collection goes back over 30 years. It's handy to have it all on one device without having to pick and choose which songs to put on it all the time.

Yep. My CD collection started in 1985 and is around 800 CDs. That averages to 30 CDs a year...times.....carry the three...drop the five....about $10K to $12K paid towards music. Oh dear lord!!!

In comparison, my iTunes purchases are only around 400 songs. If I just wanted to carry my iTunes songs around any mp3 player would do, but 800CDs (about half in Apple Lossless) requires a HDD-based player like the Classic.

Speak for yourself. We're not all teenagers with a handfull of CDs. My record collection goes back over 30 years. It's handy to have it all on one device without having to pick and choose which songs to put on it all the time.

This is great news for consumers. iPod Classic is a disgusting device and should be eliminated immediately.

Was that sarcasm? iPod Classic is easily my favorite iPod form factor. I'd tweak it's OS to more closely mimic the iPod 5G (that split screen really is a nuisance and unhelpful), but aside from that it's perfect in my eyes. If it is cancelled on Tuesday I'll be running to an Apple Store to buy one before they are gone forever.

I bought my last iPod back when this rumor first aired last year. For me, the Genius feature is the main reason to have every.fricken.song you own with you, and I think it's the killer app for the iPod classic. Since only a small percentage of my music is from iTunes, cloud offerings are of no interest to me.

It also serves as an offsite backup of my photos, contacts, and music library.

True, but we have seen that Apple goes all out when it wants to stop something - the Final Cut Pro fiasco being one example. So I am not surprised that the games are gone. If they were all priced above $5, then I wouldn't have bought them

Was that sarcasm? iPod Classic is easily my favorite iPod form factor. I'd tweak it's OS to more closely mimic the iPod 5G (that split screen really is a nuisance and unhelpful), but aside from that it's perfect in my eyes. If it is cancelled on Tuesday I'll be running to an Apple Store to buy one before they are gone forever.

I think they should keep it as a build to order device. They'll make it if you want it. No returns!

Apple does not do that. They sell products aimed directly towards the most common type of consumer, the big bulge in the midmarket, and they do not make things for people who Think Different. Making products that most people do not want is no longer their strategy - when was the last time they used the slogan "For the Rest of Us"?

IOW, fergettaboudit. Apple is aiming towards the mass market. Not special use scenarios. Not anymore.